Fastenable exercise mat and towel assembly

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of an assembly, including an exercise mat and an absorbent fabric layer, such as a towel, are generally described herein. In one example, an exercise mat is configured for temporary coupling to a towel using corresponding mating components including dual-purpose snap fastener portions respectively affixed to a top surface of the exercise mat and a bottom surface of the towel. The snap fastener portions can be positioned at the corners or sides of the exercise mat and the towel to provide secure usage of the assembly during exercise activity. The exercise mat can include an additional set of mating components including snap fastener portions located on a bottom surface. The additional set of snap fastener portions can be configured to mate with one or more of the snap fastener portions affixed to the top surface of the exercise mat when the exercise mat is oriented into a rolled-up, folded or other compact configuration.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/700,085, filed on Sep. 12, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments pertain to an exercise mat and towel assembly for personal use with exercise disciplines such as Yoga, Pilates, and the like.

BACKGROUND

Exercise mats, pads, and cushions are commonly used during the performance of a variety of exercise activities, such as Yoga, Pilates, and mat exercises, that are conducted on a floor surface. Many existing exercise mats are made of rubber, foam, or other cushioning materials to provide comfort to a user over hard flooring. For example, a user may position an exercise mat on a hard floor surface to provide him/her with a more comfortable experience during various Yoga poses.

Exercising typically results in perspiration of the user, which can cause an exercise mat to become wet and slippery. Further, exercise mats that are made of a non-breathable material such as rubber, can result in additional heat build-up and perspiration at the user's point of contact with the exercise mat. Users, therefore, may find it desirable to use a towel in conjunction with an exercise mat to capture or absorb the perspiration. Placement of a towel on a smooth or cushioned surface of an exercise mat, however, can cause the towel to slip (especially with the varied types of movements incurred from changing Yoga and Pilates poses).

Existing exercise mats do not provide effective usage with a towel or other removable absorbent fabric layer. Further, many types of existing exercise mats are not designed for easy portability and storage or require additional accessories to achieve portability and storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an assembly, including an exercise mat and a removably coupleable towel, according to one example;

FIG. 2A illustrates a top surface of an exercise mat for exposure to personal exercise use, including a plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to a towel, according to one example;

FIG. 2B illustrates a bottom surface of an exercise mat for exposure to a floor surface, including a plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned for holding the exercise mat in a rolled-up configuration, according to one example;

FIG. 3A illustrates an exercise mat being initiated into a rolled-up configuration with use of an indicator marking to provide for proper alignment of opposing male and female fasteners, according to one example;

FIG. 3B illustrates an exercise mat being completed into a rolled-up configuration with coupling of mating snap fastener portions, according to one example;

FIG. 4 illustrates a towel, including a plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to an exercise mat, according to one example;

FIG. 5 illustrates a towel, including cushioning positioned central to a snap fastener portion according to one example; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a towel being positioned for coupling to a top surface of an exercise mat, with use of mating snap fastener portions, according to one example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments can incorporate structural, functional, or other changes. Portions and features of some embodiments can be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments.

Various structures and techniques of usage for an exercise mat and an exercise mat assembly having dual-purpose couplings are generally described herein. One example of an assembly, further described in detail below, includes an exercise mat with a plurality of fastener portions extending from a top surface, and a towel or other absorbent fabric layer configured for coupling to the top surface of the exercise mat using a plurality of mating fastener portions extending from a bottom surface of the towel. One or more of the fasteners provided on the top surface of the exercise mat can be positioned and configured to establish a coupling with the towel and also to establish a coupling with other fasteners located at and extending from a bottom surface of the exercise mat for folding or storage of the mat (such as orienting the mat into a rolled-up configuration, generally referred to herein as a “mat-roll” configuration).

In a further example, the fastener portions included in the exercise mat and the towel can be provided in the form of snap-type fastener portions, having male and female terminals. Male and female snap fastener terminals can be positioned at appropriate locations on the exercise mat and the towel, respectively, to receive an opposite terminal to facilitate the mat-towel coupling as well as the mat-roll coupling. The fastener portions, however, can also be provided from other types of fastener or removable coupling structures, and are not limited to the use of snap-type fastener arrangements.

The fasteners provided within the towel can be accompanied by various positioning and amounts of cushioning, to prevent interference and discomfort of the user when the user applies pressure to areas of on or near the fasteners. Further, the fasteners provided within the exercise mat may be recessed, integrated, or cushioned into the exercise mat, to allow usage of the mat in some scenarios without the towel.

FIG. 1 provides an illustration of an assembly 100, including an exercise mat 102 and a towel 104 that can be removably coupled to the exercise mat 102. The exercise mat 102 can be provided from any number of materials and material combinations, such as foam, natural or synthetic rubber, latex, silicone, or gel, and can include cushioning and anti-slip features such as bubbles, pockets, or the like. The towel 104 can serve to provide additional cushioning, comfort, and grip, as well as capturing perspiration from the user and from the exercise mat. The exercise mat 102 and towel 104 are illustrated in a coupled configuration, coupled by a plurality of fastener portions located between the exercise mat 102 and the towel 104. The coupling established by the fastener portions can serve to prevent movement of the towel 104 as the user conducts exercises and movements above the assembly 100.

In this configuration of the assembly 100, none of the fastener portions are directly exposed to the user. Fastener portions located between the exercise mat 102 and the towel 104 can be positioned in the corners of the assembly, at cushioned areas 108 a, 108 b, 108 c, and 108 d. A layer of cushioning can be provided above the fasteners at the cushioned areas 108 a, 108 b, 108 c, and 108 d, to prevent discomfort from user pressure placed on or adjacent to the fastener portions.

The fastener portions can be provided from any number of fastenable or removably couplable pair portions, for example, a metallic or plastic fastener pair that includes a male plug and a female receptacle configured to establish a temporary, yet secure, connection when pressure is applied thereto. Such fastener pair portions can be provided from any combination of: a snap fastener pair portion, a clasp fastener pair portion, or a hook and eye clasp fastener pair portion. Other types of removably coupling mechanisms can also or alternatively be used as fasteners, including magnets, hook and loop fabric fasteners, straps, and the like.

The fastener portions can be located at opposing ends of the exercise mat, positioned such that rolling up the mat causes the opposing fastener pair members to be positioned for coupling.

FIG. 2A provides an illustration of a top surface 114 of an exercise mat 102 for exposure to personal exercise use, according to one example. The top surface 114 includes a plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned for coupling to a towel. As shown, the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102 includes a plurality of male-end snap fastener plugs 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, 112 d positioned at the four corners of the rectangular-shaped mat. The top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102 further includes at least one indicator marking 106, configured to guide the user when orienting the exercise mat into a folded or rolled-up configuration.

As shown, the indicator marking 106 can be established in the form of a line that can be printed onto or embedded into the surface of the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102. The indicator marking 106 can be accompanied by arrows, text, or other indicating symbols to direct a user how to roll, fold, or otherwise re-orient the exercise mat 102. Although the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102 is illustrated as including only one indicator marking 106, multiple indicator markings can be provided to enable the user to fold or roll the exercise mat 102 from multiple sides or angles (for example, to roll from the opposite side of the exercise mat 102).

FIG. 2B provides an illustration of the bottom surface 116 of an exercise mat 102 for exposure to a floor surface, according to one example. The bottom surface 116 can include a plurality of fastener portions positioned for coupling the exercise mat 102 in a rolled-up configuration. As shown, the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat 102 can include a plurality of female snap fastener receptacles 118 a, 118 b, and mounting plates 112′a, 112′b, 112′c, 112′d, used to mount the male-end snap fastener plugs 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, 112 d, respectively, to the exercise mat 102.

In this example, the female snap fastener receptacles 118 a, 118 b are positioned within the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat 112 to prevent the user from experiencing discomfort during movements when pressure is applied on the opposite side (the top surface 114) of the exercise mat 112. As shown, the female snap fastener receptacles 118 a, 118 b are recessed into the surface of the exercise mat 102, to sit flush with the bottom surface of the exercise mat 112 without protruding through to the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 112.

The female snap fastener receptacles 118 a, 118 b can be located at a position on the exercise mat 102 to enable coupling with at least some of the male-end snap fastener plugs 112 a, 112 b, 112 c, 112 d, upon folding or rolling of the exercise mat 102. For example, the female snap fastener receptacles 118 a, 118 b can be located to align with the position of the male-end snap fastener plugs 112 a, 112 b, and are located approximately 80 percent (4/5ths) of the way between a fastener portion (e.g., fastener portion 112 a) at a first end of the exercise mat 102, and a fastener portion (e.g., fastener portion 112 c) at an opposite end of the exercise mat 102. The placement of the exercise mat 102 into a folded or rolled configuration is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3A, further detailed below. The coupling that can be established between the fastener portion upon folding or rolling of the exercise mat 102 is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 3B, further detailed below.

FIG. 3A provides an illustration of an exercise mat 102 that is initiated by a user into a rolled-up configuration, according to one example. One or more indicator markings, such as the indicator line 106, can be provided on the top surface 114 of the exercise mat to guide the user to a location conducive to rolling or folding of the exercise mat. As shown in FIG. 3A, the indicator line 106 can provide an indication of the position of a first fold, which folds the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat over the top surface 114. Upon establishment of the first fold to align with the indicator line 106, additional end-over-end folds or a rolling motion can be performed by the user to place the exercise mat into a folded or rolled-up configuration.

FIG. 3B provides an illustration of an exercise mat that is completed by a user into a rolled-up configuration, enabling coupling of a snap fastener arrangement between a male snap fastener plug 112 d (exposed from the top surface 114 of the exercise mat) and a female snap fastener receptacle 118 b (exposed from the bottom surface 116 of the exercise mat), according to one example. As shown, the folding or rolling that was oriented according to the indicator line 106 illustrated in FIG. 3A can result in a positioning of the male snap fastener plug 112 d and the female snap fastener receptacle 118 b to reside in proximity. The user can therefore secure the exercise mat in the rolled-up or folded configuration with coupling of the fastener portions.

FIG. 4 provides an illustration of a bottom surface 120 of the towel 104, including a plurality of female snap fastener receptacles 122 a, 122 b, 122 c, 122 d positioned for coupling to male snap fastener plugs of an exercise mat, according to one example. As shown, the female snap fasteners receptacles 122 a, 122 b, 122 c, 122 d are coupled respectively to a plurality of padding sections 124 a, 124 b, 124 c, 124 d that are in turn coupled to the bottom surface 120 of the towel 104. The shape of the padding sections 124 a, 124 b, 124 c, 124 d may be provided in a near-square perspective as shown, or in a rectangular, circular, or any other type of appropriate shape.

FIG. 5 provides a close-up illustration of one corner of the bottom surface 120 of the rectangular-shaped towel 104, including a female snap fastener receptacle 122 d being affixed to a padding section 124 d. The padding section 124 d can provide cushioning positioned central to the snap fastener receptacle, and an additional layer of cushioning to prevent user discomfort when applying pressure (such as a direct hand placement) to the towel location at or adjacent to the snap fastener.

FIG. 6 provides an illustration of a towel 104 being positioned for coupling to the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102, with use of removably coupleable snap fastener portions (including the coupling of female snap fastener receptacle 122 d to male snap fastener plug 112 b), according to one example. As shown, the bottom surface 120 of the towel 106 can be placed in direct contact with the top surface 114 of the exercise mat 102. The top surface 110 of the towel can be exposed for use by a user. Upon coupling of the snap fastener portions on multiple corners or sides of the exercise mat assembly, the towel 104 can be secured and ready for use in an exercise activity.

Variations of the assembly described herein can include use and coupling with a variety and combination of fabrics and surfaces. Further, the assembly can be configured for use with multiple towels or absorbent fabrics, configured to overlap in combination, or to reside next to each other to cover a large exercise mat shape.

The number and positioning of the fastener portions used in the assembly can be provided according to standard towel sizes or to standard exercise mat sizes. The shape of the assembly, however, is not limited to a rectangular or towel-based shapes, but can be provided in other shapes including shapes distinctive to the assembly. Other examples of assembly shapes include circular and combinations of geometrical shapes.

The size and placement of the fastener portions and associated cushioning within the exercise mat and the towel can be specific to the usage of the assembly, and the various materials used to construct the exercise mat or towel. For example, a snap fastener portion can be embedded in one of multiple layers of the exercise mat during fabrication or molding of the exercise mat. A snap fastener portion or like fastener portion including a protruding component can also be recessed within a portion of the exercise mat, or otherwise designed to minimize exposure of the fastener portion to user interference. Removable covers to couple with the fastener portions can also be provided for use of the exercise mat without the towel. Variations in the size, shape, and design of the fastener portions can facilitate like adaptations of the presently described assembly.

The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more elements thereof) can be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Also, various features or elements can be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter can lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An assembly, comprising: an exercise mat including a top surface and a bottom surface; a towel removably couplable to the exercise mat, the towel including a top surface and a bottom surface; a first plurality of fastener portions extending from the top surface of the exercise mat; a second plurality of fastener portions, lower in number than the first plurality of fastener portions, extending from the bottom surface of the exercise mat, the second plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned to removably couple to one or more of the first plurality of fastener portions when the exercise mat assumes a compact configuration; and a third plurality of fastener portions extending from the bottom surface of the towel, the third plurality of fastener portions configured and positioned to removably couple to the first plurality of fastener portions when the exercise mat assumes a non-compact configuration, wherein one or more of the first plurality of fastener portions are configured and positioned for mating with both of the second plurality of opposing fastener portions and the third plurality of fastener portions.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the exercise mat further comprises an indication marking on the top surface.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third plurality of fastener portions are selected from mateable fastener pair portions and include least one of: a snap fastener pair portion, a clasp fastener pair portion, a hook and loop fabric fastener pair portion, or a hook and eye clasp fastener pair portion.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of fastener portions include male end snap fastener plugs, and wherein the second and third plurality of fastener portions include female end snap fastener receptacles.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a cushion coupled to the towel, the cushion configured to provide cushioning adjacent to the third plurality of fastener portions.
 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the cushion includes foam.
 7. An exercise mat, comprising: a top surface including a cushioning material; a bottom surface including a non-slip material; a first set of fastener portions extending from the top surface, the first set of fastener portions configured to receive mating fastener portions extending from a surface of an absorbent fabric layer; and a second set of fastener portions configured to mate with at least some of the first set of fastener portions, upon orientating the exercise mat into a compact, rolled-up configuration. 